Blinded
by lillykk
Summary: She barely escaped a curse, a curse that left her blind. Her once detested enemy found her body, and saved her life, but is now suspected. As the year progresses, their hatred begins to fade and something else begins to form. But something more than fr
1. Chapter One

**Blinded**

_Chapter One_

It was September first, the day all Hogwarts students returned to the school. The Hogwart's Express moved slowly North making its way to Hogsmeade Station. Down one of the train's narrow corridors, a compartment was empty, with the exception of a single student.  
  
His head was rested upon the compartment window ruining his perfectly slicked silver-blonde hair. He didn't care. Not anymore anyways. His eyes wandered out of the window and gazed upon the stars deep in thought. Nothing and no one could have distracted him. Although, no one even dared to enter the lonely compartment. All his years of harassing others for his own enjoyment had turned on him. In his heart, Draco Malfoy yearned to have someone sit beside him, but at the same time, he desperately wanted the outside world to fade away. He simply sat alone pondering the past year's events.  
  
He knew he shouldn't have done it.  
  
He'd always known that his father had power within the Death Eater's forces; he just didn't realize how great his influence was. And yet, he would find out soon enough. Upon the evening of his sixteenth birthday, Draco was summoned into the private depths of his father's study in which he'd never been allowed in. All of his life his father's secrets tempted him, but they all lay just out of his reach. His father had never put a curse on the door that led inside the study either. Lucius always thought it would teach his son strong self discipline. But Draco never had to convince himself to keep out of the forbidden room. Instead, his father's short temper that easily erupted terrified him.  
  
But now, it no longer mattered. He had been taken to his father's dark office, and he had gone willingly.  
  
"Draco my son, you surely know that the Dark Lord's absence won't last forever." Lucius told him, not even bothering to explain his involvement with Voldemort and the Death Eaters. "He's coming back. He's stronger, more powerful and will soon take control of the magical world. Things will be the way that they should have been, and the way they ought to be. The magical world is growing weaker every day. Only the Dark Lord can restore this world to those who are truly worthy of it."  
  
Draco's face grew frightened, and his father saw.  
  
"You needn't be frightened Draco," Lucius continued, an evil sneer creeping across his thin lips, "the Dark Lord will only be rid of those who do not deserve to call themselves wizards."  
  
Lucius chuckled while countless thoughts raced through Draco's mind. Before Draco could ask anything, his father went on.  
  
"You're sixteen now Draco, time to become who you were born to be. You're no longer a child, but a young man that can achieve unstoppable power. The only way to achieve this power is to join with those who can give it to you."  
  
"No..." Draco whispered, without realizing it. His mind was still full of unanswered questions and doubts. He'd known this day would come eventually, and he often thought of the choice that lay ahead of him and the consequences that came with his decision.  
  
"What did you say?" his father asked, his voice rising.  
  
Draco realized, he had time to go back. All he had to say was a simple yes, and his future would be decided. But he couldn't ignore the thoughts that were tugging on his heart.  
  
"I said..." For a moment, Draco wavered on the edge. If he should say yes, his life would be in position and there would be no turning around. If he said no, he would fall into a life of isolation and guilt.  
  
"No." Immediately, Draco began to feel his life dropping from underneath his feet.  
  
"I'm not sure I heard you quite right--"  
  
"I said no, Father."  
  
"No!" Lucius shouted suddenly, bringing his fist to the table with a crash. He looked up at his son with eyes full of rage and shock. "I don't think you realize that this was not quite your choice to make--"  
  
"No Father! It is my choice to make! I--"  
  
"Listen! I am your father, Draco, and you will do as you are told!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"No! I won't join you! I won't join the Death Eaters! I won't join you murderers!"  
  
"Murderers? We only take the lives of those who are not worthy of being wizards and witches! There is no real crime being committed, it's for the good of the magical community!"  
  
"No! It isn't father! I refuse to join you! You can't force me!"  
  
Lucius reached inside his robes and pulled out his wand. For a fleeing moment, Draco was sure his father was going to curse him. Breathing very quickly, Lucius forced words to come out of his reddened face.  
  
"This is – your – last – chance!"  
  
"I think I have made my choice perfectly clear to you Father! If--"  
  
"Get out." Lucius breathed. "Out! I am ashamed to call you my son."  
  
Draco pivoted and hurried out of the room. He packed his robes, schoolbooks, wand, and broomstick into his trunk and left.  
  
Later on, Draco received a letter telling him that he was no longer permitted to return home. He had to begin a new life outside of his Father's house.

Draco had now reached the age of of seventeen. The past year had been spent away from his father's ever watchful eyes.  
  
Draco tried to push the thoughts out of his head, but pushed farther and farther back top more painful memories then what he could emotionally handle. He tried to keep his wandering mind from reliving the past, but it was too late. Already, his mind was regenerating conversations and images Draco had wished he'd never seen or heard. He listened carefully. He could hear laughing and conversations the other students were having. Hearing the happiness of the other students only made the thoughts in his mind grow harder to ignore.  
  
_"No, I was unable sir, I couldn't! Malfoy, why can't you understand! It was impossible! They were too many. Crabbe and I only barely escaped! We were forced to leave the others behind! Lucius, what? No... don't, please! Lucius? Lucius! No!"_

The voice in his head screamed louder and louder. Rose quickly to his feet, and carefully checked the corridor outside the compartment. No one was there. He didn't really know why he was panicking at that moment. His father was miles away and Draco was safe.  
  
He sighed. Slowly, he stretched out upon the compartment seat, although he was obviously too tall to lie comfortably. He could still hear the echoing scream in his mind. After a few moments of torture, he was finally able to shut it out. He exhaled a long and slow breath and wondered what the school year would bring. Gradually his sleep deprived eyes closed, and soon he was asleep.

* * *

**Author's Note**I really hope you enjoy my first chapter of this interesting DM/HG fic. I'll be gone the next week, so my second chapter won't be up for awhile, but I've already got it done, so as soon as I come back I'll post it up. :) And please review, I love hearing from you guys!


	2. Chapter Two

/u iChapter Two/i  
  
Down the corridor of the Hogwarts Express, Hermione Granger sat in silence inside a lively compartment. Harry and Ron were in the compartment with her, but were enjoying a game of Exploding Snap that Hermione had chosen to not participate in. Instead, her thoughts were full of charms, spells, and all that she was looking forward to learning in her seventh year. She could hardly wait to be back in the classroom learning new subjects that she found fascinating. Also, she was looking forward to her seventh year because of a new shiny badge she had just placed on the front of her robes. Only two weeks ago she had received a letter from the Headmaster congratulating her on her selection to be Hogwart's new Head Girl. She also met the new Head Boy on the train ride this morning. Ernie MacMillan was a Hufflepuff, very hardworking and responsible. Hermione thought he deserved the position above the other sixth year prefects.  
  
"Hermione, Hermione?" Ron asked, as if she couldn't hear him.  
  
"Yes Ron, I can hear you." Hermione replied.  
  
"We've only been trying to get your attention for the past 10 minutes. You pay attention in class, why don't you pay attention here?" Harry joked.  
  
"Sorry guys, I guess my mind was elsewhere."  
  
"Who on?" Harry joked.  
  
Hermione felt her cheeks blush slightly, but unnoticeably. She found herself momentarily looking into Harry's emerald eyes. Although she'd never admit it, Hermione had always felt attracted to Harry. Not in a serious way, but enough to make her mind wander.  
  
"Harry! I have much more important things to think about!" Hermione teased back.  
  
"Yeah," Ron chimed in, "Like homework. Who do you suppose the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher will be?"  
  
Hermione sighed. Yet again, they were having this conversation, for the sixth time. Seven years, and seven different teachers.  
  
The conversation spiraled off again, and this time, Hermione contributed what she thought about the Defense Against the Dark Arts position.  
  
Along the rest of the train ride, the trio conversed. Each of them was looking forward to their final year at Hogwarts, but not necessarily looking forward to leaving. Hermione knew that both Harry and Ron were interested in being aurors, while she herself was interested in a less risky job: teaching.  
  
The cart loaded with sweets and candies came and went, and as usual Harry and Ron bought as much as they could.  
  
Several hours later, the train pulled to a stop in Hogsmeade.  
  
"It's good to be back isn't it?" commented Harry once again.  
  
Hermione and Ron nodded their heads in agreement, but not saying much. They were each lost in their own thoughts.  
  
Slowly, the three friends searched for a carriage to take them up to the castle.  
  
"Harry?" asked Ron, "Are you alright--- wait---oh. Thestrals. Sorry..." Ron looked at the open space in front of the carriage curiously, but obviously couldn't see what was really there. They stepped inside the carriage and headed up towards the castle. Hermione knew Harry could see the threstrals, he had watched both his godfather, Sirius, and a fellow classmate Cedric Diggory die. Although Hermione and Ron were with Harry when Sirius died, they didn't actually witness his death. They were busy trying to fight off the other Death Eaters that had attacked them.  
  
Finally, they arrived in front of the castle doors.  
  
The feast was fantastic. The aromas of every dish wafted throughout the castle, even after the feast was done. Dumbledore's welcoming speech was the same as always, energetic and welcoming, but just as interesting. The sorting came and went flawlessly, the Hat sorting each new student into his or her house. Seeing the younger students wait to try on the Sorting Hat, with their nerves mounting ever higher, Hermione could remember exactly what it was like to be sorted. She also knew that no one, besides herself, knew about her Sorting. She remembered how the Sorting Hat had a bit of difficulty of deciding between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, and that the Hat finally decided on Gryffindor. In her early years at Hogwarts, Hermione could never see why she was placed in Gryffindor. Ravenclaw students were intelligent, while Gryffindor prized students with a touch of bravery. She didn't understand it then, but over the years, Hermione had changed into a different person. The Sorting Hat was right after all.  
  
"Congratulations," Dumbledore said, "to our newly selected Head Boy and Girl, Hermione Granger from Gryffindor, and Ernie MacMillan from Hufflepuff, and our new Prefects as well. Please help the younger students find their dormitories, so they may be well rested for their first day of lessons tomorrow. Good night!"  
  
The Great Hall erupted into many excited whispers as all of the students headed toward their dormitories.  
  
"First years this way!" Hermione called, "Gryffindors! Come on, this way please!"  
  
"Don't you ever get tired of this Hermione?" Ron asked her, "I'll be honest, I do."  
  
Harry laughed, flashing his brilliant smile that always caught Hermione's attention. "I'll see you two when you get back to the common room." Hermione smiled. She had really missed her two best friends this summer. She turned around and looked at a small group of first years looking expectantly at her. She smiled again enjoying her new responsibility.  
  
Hermione and the new Gryffindor first years were nearly up to the common room entrance when Hermione realized she had forgotten a piece of paper that described the Head Girl duties on the dining table. Over come with a sudden feeling of panic, she rushed to the common room, told the new students the new password and fled down the Grand Staircase.  
  
When she reached her place at the Gryffindor dining table, Hermione sighed with relief. The slip of paper was still there on the table where she had left it only moments before. Feeling much better, she took the steps of the Grand Staircase slowly up to the common room.  
  
But she didn't recall getting any farther then the first landing. A bright flash of purple light streaked across her eyes, and the Hermione's world turned deathly black before she hit the floor.

**Author's Note:** Finally I'm home from vacation, and I can update :). I hope you liked this chapter, it's definatly not the longest of them, and the next ones get longer I promise. I'll update again in a few days. Enjoy! (And review!)


	3. Chapter Three

**Blinded**

_Chapter Three_

_  
  
_  
Draco remained in the Great Hall until nearly all of it's students had retired to their dorms. Finally, when he rose from the dinner table, he took one sweeping look at the Great Hall.  
  
The tables were clear and as shiny as unblemished glass, and there was a soft breeze rippling through a distant window. Draco sighed. Indeed, he was grateful to have escaped his father, but Hogwarts wasn't the best either. His father knew where he was, Voldemort knew where he was. He could be easily cornered at any time.  
  
Shaking off the fresh wave of paranoia, Draco strode to the Entrance Hall. He began walking to a dark wooden door opposite the staircase. Before he could reach the entrance to the dungeons, he caught a glimpse of a crumpled body upon the first landing.  
  
Draco rushed to the side of a small girl's body of someone he didn't know from the distance. Brushing her soft hair away from her face, he realized in horror who the victim was. She was unconscious.  
  
He tilted her face to the light. The soft flicker of a flame danced across her face causing Draco to gaze upon her for longer then he should have. Her face was lifeless, but she was breathing. Draco scooped the body of the injured girl into his arms and carried her swiftly up the Grand Staircase. All the while, he couldn't help but notice how easily she fit into his arms.  
  
There were voices, a few of them. The sounds echoed across the walls of the large room reverberating in the mind of Hermione Granger. She couldn't yet understand what they were saying, but each spoke with a tone of sorrow in their voice. Hermione couldn't understand why because a sharp pain behind her eyes forced all other thought from her mind. She waited silently and motionless for a few minutes until she could hear and comprehend what the voices were saying.  
  
"Minerva told me that he carried her up here immediately after he found her on the staircase. As noble as it was, it certainly doesn't rule him out as a suspect. With his father and all—"  
  
"I agree Poppy, but you never know, he could have witnessed it as well. Has he been questioned about it?"  
  
"Oh yes, in fact, I believe he's in Albus' office right now. If he really was the one who cast the spell, the Albus will find out."  
  
"But that was difficult Dark Magic performed on the girl. How could someone of his age accomplish such a terrible curse?"  
  
"Look at his family. It wouldn't surprise me if—"  
  
The first voice hushed the second, which Hermione recognized as Madam Pomfrey, the school nurse. "Such things shouldn't be discussed at such times or in such places! Although Harry Potter named his father as a Death Eater last summer doesn't mean his son follows that path."  
  
Silence followed. Hermione was utterly confused. She didn't remember how she got here, except for the memory of a strong pair of arms lifting her up. But that was it. She didn't understand anything the voices were saying. The sound of Madam Pomfrey's voice broke the silence, causing tremendous pain behind Hermione's eyes.  
  
"It's after midnight, shouldn't the boy be let to his dormitory until tomorrow? He has to wake for classes tomorrow you know."  
  
"Yes, but considering the circumstances, Albus wouldn't let him go. Like you said, because of his father, Albus might consider the possibility of an attack from someone outside the school."  
  
"Outside the school? But how? The grounds are well protected. No one can enter Hogwarts unnoticed."  
  
"It's happened before. Remember? Four years ago when Sirius Black escaped? He entered undetected. But there are ways, ways that I cannot even fathom. Secret passages and such. You never know with Hogwarts, or when you're meddling with Dark Magic."  
  
Suddenly two pairs of footsteps entered the room. One with long and broad strides, and another that seemed to be having trouble keeping up.  
  
"What's this about?" a man asked, but Hermione couldn't tell who.  
  
"Miss Granger has been attacked Severus. As I was trying to explain to you on the way up here, she—"  
  
"Yes, I understand one from my own house was the one to discover her. Why wasn't I notified immediately? And where is he now?"  
  
"With Albus, but—"  
  
"I'll be on my way there then." The man replied.  
  
"Severus wait!"  
  
"Just let him go Minerva, I wonder what's gotten to him though. He seems to be acting strange lately."  
  
"Yes," replied who Hermione recognized as Professor McGonagall, "he's been that way since the end of last term." McGonagall sighed and walked towards Hermione's bed. Each step sent incredible pain through her eyes, in which she hadn't even tried to open yet. From what Hermione could gather, her body didn't suffer much injury other then unbelievable pain on every inch of herself.  
  
McGonagall's steps drew nearer. They stopped close to the foot of Hermione's bed, while McGonagall's eyes scanned and studied her body. Everyone fell silent.  
  
"Should we wake her? I've got an Awakening Potion if needed," Madam Pomfrey said, splitting the quiet. She approached the Professor with concerned eyes. "Shouldn't she know what happened?"  
  
"No." McGonagall replied simply. "She's been through enough tonight. The pain of reality will be more agonizing then the physical pain she carries now. Let her sleep before she knows the truth. She should be up by tomorrow morning."  
  
Hermione unwillingly closed her eyes, wanting to hear everything that she could. Yet, her exhausted body and mind took her to another world, void of pain and suffering. 

**Author's Note **I hope you liked this chapter, it's been awhile since I've updated. I know it's short, but I promise that the future chapters are longer. Keep reviewing!! :)


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